Piano case and method of making the same



C. E. CAMERON, JR

PIANO CASE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME April 7, 1931.

Filed June 20, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l W 2 my r ATTORNEYS P 7, 1931- c. E. CAMERON, JR 1,799,675

PIANO CASE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed June 20, 1929 3 SheetsSheat 2 INVENTOR W9,

ATTORNEYS April 1931- c. E. CAMERON. JR 1,799,675

PIANO CASE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed June 20, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES EWEN CAMERON, JR., OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO LAUTER-HUMAN'O 00., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY PIANO CASE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Application filed June 20, 1929. Serial No. 372,324.

This invention relates to the manufacture view of one side of the finished piano case, of piano cases, particularly cases for grand and pianos. p Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan view One obgect of the invention is to provide of said side of the piano case. a plano case which is molded of plastic ma- Figure is an enlarged transverse vertiterial whereby manufacture of the case is cal sectional view through the piano case simplified and the cost thereof is small comshowing the preferred manner of applying pared with theusual wood cases. the plastic material in the mold.

Another object is to provide a molded piano Specifically describing the illustrated on 10 case having the edges of the sounding-board bodiment of the invention, the molding apembedded in the sides of the case so that paratus includes two complemental sections uniform and tight contact of the sounding- A and B each of which conforms in outline board and the case is secured throughout the to substantially the shape of a grand piano edges of the former, and the sounding-board The sections A and B have the respec- 15 and the case are in effect one-piece, whereby tive end portions C and D corresponding to assembly of the sounding-board and the case the rear or sounding-board end of the piano is simplified and the piano when completed case, and side portions E and F correspondhas an exceptionally pure, full tone. inn; to the sides of a grand piano case, which A further object is to provide a novel and side portions merge at one end into the end so improved method of molding piano cases portions. The other ends of the sections A m with the sounding boards embedded in the and B have cooperating therewith the respecsides of the cases, whereby the assembly of tive end sections G and H.

the piano case and sounding-board can be As shown in the drawings, the sections A quickly accomplished in a simple and inexand B may each be formed in one piece as by pensive manner, to obtain other advantages casting and comprise the respective hub porand results as will be more fully brought out tions 1 and 2 from which IT. liate correspond by the following description. spokes or webs 3 and i at the outer ends Referring to the accompanying drawings, of which are supported the respective rims in which corresponding and like parts are 5 and 6. The two sections and the end secdesignated by the same reference characters. tions G and H cooperating therewith are so Figure 1 is a front elevation of the moldshaped as to clamp between them the sounding apparatus embodying my invention. ing-board structure 7 and to shape plastic Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof. material applied to their rims into the con- Figure 3 is a. side elevation of the mold figuration of a grand piano case. Each secviewing the same from the line 3-3 of Figtion A and B has a trunnion 8 projecting 3 ure 1, showing the sounding-board assemfrom its hub which may be removably mountbled in the mold and portions of the piano ed in a half-bearing 9 formed on a suitable case in transverse section. support so that the mould may be rotated. Figure A is a transverse vertical sectional .on said support about the trunnions 8 as an view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1. axis. For securing the sections A and B to- Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective gcther I may utilize tie bolts 10. view of one side of the mold showing the The rims of the two sections A and B are manner of molding one of the end pieces. complementally shaped so as to form respec- Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view on tively the upper and lower portlons of the the line 66 of Figure 3 through one side piano case, upper and lower portions meanof the mold, showing a portion of the piano ing in this connection respectively the porcase in the mold. tions of the case above the sounding-board Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view on and the portion of the case below the sound- 50 the line 7--7 of Figure 6. ing-board. The rim of the section B has a Figure 8 is a fragmentary bottom plan surface 11 and av flange 12 arranged at substantially right angles to said surface, the width of said surface corresponding to the depth of the piano case from the upper edge to the sounding-board, and the depth of the flange 12 corresponding to the thickness of the upper edge of the case. The rim of the section A has a surface 13 at right angles to which is arranged a flange 14 the width of the surface 13 corresponding to the depth of the piano case between the sounding-board and the lower edge of the case, and the depth of the flange 14 corresponding to the thickness of the piano case at its lower edge. The surfaces 11 and 13 terminate short of the ends of the sections A and B but the. flanges 5 and 12 extend throughout the length of the respective sections and are connected at their extremities by transverse webs 15 and 16. These extensions of the flanges 12 and 1 1 support the end sections G and H which have the respective surfaces 1'? and 18 which form extensions of the surfaces 13 of the section A. The end sections also have respective surfaces 19 and 20 which comprise extensions of the surfaces 11 of the section A. These end sections also have flanges or ribs 21 corresponding to the ext emities of the sides of the piano case.

When the mold is to be assembled, the sounding-board structure 7 is arranged between the two sections A and B so as to be clamped between the inner edges 22 and 23 of said sections as clearly shown in Figures 3 and lof the drawings. The edges of the sounding-board corresponding to the end and side portions of the piano case extend slightly beyond the surface 11. The end sections G and H are then fitted between the extensions of the flanges 12 and 14. Each end section has a surface 24 to abut the corresponding end of the surface 11 and also has an end surface 25 to abut the front board 26 of the sounding-board structure as clearly shown in Figure 3, 41 and 5 of the drawings. These end sections may be secured in position in any suitable manner, but as shown, may have tongues 27 on their edges to slidably fit grooves 28 in the extensions of the flanges 12 and 1 1. Screws 29 may be threaded into the edges of the end sections through the respective flanges 12 and 1 1 to secure the end sections in proper position. As shown, the surfaces 11 and 13 are offset with respect to each other so that the flange 1 1 is deeper than the flange 12, and this is for the purpose of making the lower portion of the piano case thicker than the upper portion so as to form a rest for the sounding-board and as a support for bolts 30 for securing the iron frame of the piano in the case. 7 Also, this thick portionof the case may support bolts 31 for securing the rear legs of the piano to the case. Any suitable means may be utilized for initially supporting the bolts 30 in the mold but as shown these bolts are mounted in blocks-32 secured to the underside of the soundingboard and which have set screws 33 therein for holding the bolts with their threaded ends 34in proer relation to the upper side of the sounding-board. The bolts 30 may be initially supported in openings in the flange 1 1 of the mold section B.

Nit-h the parts of the mold thus assembled the surfaces 11, 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20 and the flanges 12 and 1% form a mold cavity which corresponds in shape to the sides and end of the piano case. The plastic material is placed in this cavity by a trowel or the like. It will be observed that the sounding-board structure includes triangular end blocks 35 for supporting the end board 26 in proper relation to the sounding-board, and in order to form a piano case with the end portions of the sides thicker throughout their width than than the lower portion of the case below the sounding board, the surfaces 17 and 18- of the end sections G and H are offset with respect to the ends of the surfaces 13 as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 5. To form recesses 36 on the inner walls of the end portions of the sides of the ease, the end portions of the surface 11 are offset with respect to the surfaces 19 and 20 of the end sections as shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6.

l Zith the sections of the molding apparatus thus assembled the operator applies plastic material to the surfaces 11, 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of the mold sections. This plasticmaterial may be easily applied by 'a trowel and the outer surface 37 thereof maybe smoothed off with a trowel so as to be flush with the outer edges of the flanges 12 and 14. The piano case is thus formed and the edges of the sounding-board corresponding to the sides and the end of the case are embedded in said sidesand end, as clearly shownin Figures 4:, 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings. At the same time the bolts 30 are molded and embedded into the plastic material of the case, as are also the.

tions A and B maythen be separatedfrom.

each other and the end sections Gr and H pulled outwardly away from the ends of the piano case. The case can then be removed to the desired point by merely lifting it from the section A or B upon which. it may be resting.

Theplastic material of which the case is formed may be widely varied, although preferably it should have the desired lightness of weight, strength, resistance to changes in atmospheric conditions, such as heat, moisture, etc., and durability without cracking, warping, etc. I have found that a well-known composition used for manufacturing floors may be used, for example, a composition of about equal parts by volume of sawdust or wood flour, silex or very fine sand, and a suitable binder, such as glue, Portland cement, or a gum, for example shellac. Also preferably the plastic material has embedded therein a suitable reinforcement such as reticulated metal 37. Furthermore it may be desirable to form the surfaces of the case of a continuous layer 38 of material which will present or take the desired finish, while the intermediate portion 39 may be of coarser material having any desired characteristic not fully possessed by the outer finished layer 38. A suitable material, such as talc may be used on the surface to improve working qualities of the composition.

Should the material not be thoroughly capable of receiving and holding screws or other fastening members, I may separably attach to the mold sections blocks 40 of wood or the like in positions corresponding to the location of hinges or other parts of the piano which are to be secured to the case, so that said blocks are molded into the case.

It will be understood that while I have shown and described a particular method and molding apparatus, the detailed steps of the method and the details of construction of the molding apparatus may be widely modified and changed by those skilled in the art in accordance with the Various types of piano cases, molding structure, etc., without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, the form illustrated being primarily for the purpose of explaining the principles of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A aiano including a case composed of molded plastic material, and a sounding board having its edges embedded in said case.

2. A piano including a case comprising a unitary mass of plastic material having two ides and an end, and a sounding-board having its edges corresponding to said sides and end embedded therein.

3. The step in a method of making pianos consisting in molding the piano case with the edges of the sounding-board embedded therein.

4. The step in a method of making pianos consisting in molding plastic material over the edges of a sounding-board and shaping said material to correspond to the sides and end of a piano case.

5. The step in the method set forth in claim 4 with the additional step of mounting in openings in the sounding board bolts to receive and hold an iron frame within the piano case and shaping said plastic material to embed therein the portions of said bolts below the sounding-board.

6. A piano including a case formed of plas tic material, and a sounding board with its edges embedded therein, the portion of the case below the sounding-board being thicker than the portion above the sounding-board and having embedded therein bolts which project through openings in the soundingboard above the upper surface of the latter to receive and hold an iron frame within the case.

CHARLES EWEN CAMERON, JR.

CERTEFECATE 0E CQRRZ LCTION.

Patent No. 1,799,675. Granted inril 7, 1931, to

GHARLES EWEN (JAP/EERQN, JR.

it is hereby certified that tiae some of the assignee in the above numbered ntent was erroneously written and minted as "Lauter-Humano Co." whereas said same shouid have been written and primeas Mauter-Eumana (10., as shown by the reeords oi assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be rea with this correction thereiai that the some may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and. sealed this 5th day oi May, A. i). 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

